Jakob_Kane

SAO Re: Hollow Fragment is interesting to say the very least. To say the most would probably take a while. I'll just settle for summarizing my thoughts here. Immediately when starting the game you are presented with the iconic "Link Start!: cinematic so many SAO fans remember from the very first episode. Then you are right into creating your character. No dilly dallying, no menu screen, the game puts you straight in. Nice! While the character creation is by no means terrible, it's very pointless. In SAO Re: HF you play as Kirito and you will constantly be reminded that you are Kirito because that's what all the characters call you, regardless of gender, too. So once you made your pointless character (unless you stayed Kirito) you get plopped into an unknown area and meet an unknown orange player. You fight this player, then fight a boss, then talk a bunch. And talk. And talk. And you might talk some more. This game really likes its "cutscenes", which aren't actually cutscenes at all, just a visual novel type conversation. I liked these conversations because I liked talking to the characters as Kirito but I can definitely see where someone who isn't an SAO or visual novel fan would be slightly put off by these scenes. Especially since there a lot of them. After you talk to this unknown orange player you go on an adventure, finally exploring this new Hollow Area a little. The gameplay isn't anything to die over because it can be very repetitive. However it does have a certain charm to it, as well. You basically just tap a few buttons and watch Kirito and his partner slash away at a monster while that same monster slashes away at you. It's not particularly enjoyable but it has an element many JRPG fans, such as myself, enjoy. The best way to compare the combat is to Final Fantasy XII (12) combat. it's almost autonomous but you can somewhat control the flow depending on what you press. Slashing away at all these monsters are nice, killing them off one by one, watching the blood and cling of metal in a very narrow forest valley with trees all around. If I'm making the game sound like it looks nice then I'm sorry to off-put you. I think one of my main gripes with the game is that the environments are kind of bland. The game does a nice job of visualizing where you actually are and how you should feel but it fails when it comes to graphics and design, especially of the characters actually in game. The character's CGs and conversation art are nice but their actual 3D models aren't very good looking. (Please note!!! - This game has been ported about three times through different consoles!!!) So fast forward a little bit to after I met this orange player in the new Hollow Area. I'm back in Aincrad about to fight the 82nd boss. I decided to get off for the night and play again tomorrow. The next day I get on, start the game, let the loading screens go through their routine, about to loa- wait a second. "Link Start!" I hear from my TV. I look up and I'm back at the character creation screen. Yes, my game had started over without any warning or sign. At this point, since I was grinding every single area I could, I was about 50-60 hours in. I couldn't believe all those hours I had spent went to waste. I looked up to see if I had done something on accident. Nah, it's just a game bug; the game will sometimes just flat out decide to start your game over. Ya know, it just feels like it sometimes. I was so distraught... I made Kirito again, went through the same stuff I went through when beginning the game, talked to the orange player, traveled a little through the Hollow Area, and finally got back to Aincrad. I was done. I didn't want to play anymore. I had already put so much work in and to just lost it all like that is just heart wrenching. So... I don't want to say SAO Re: HF is a bad game because it isn't. It's actually a very fun experience so long as you're an SAO fan. The fanservice in this game is very funny and only SAO fans would enjoy it, but in all honestly, unless you're also a hardcore JRPG fan then it's hard to pick the game back up for another go sometimes. IN CONCLUSION - Pick this game up if you are an SAO fan; you shouldn't be disappointed. It's not a masterpiece by any means but it is fun to talk with all your favorite characters and play through. Just make sure to back your save up, yeah?